She always dreamed of Happily Ever After
by Nightosphere Princess
Summary: Bonnibel has always had this childish idea that she could help clean up this town. Shoko has never really felt what it's like to be loved. On one rainy night Bonnibel takes Shoko under her wing. But not every one gets a fairy tale ending. Modern AU. Some Bubbline mentioned.
1. Chapter 1

The weather on this summer night was as dreary as the moods of the children at the orphanage her mother worked at. Bonnibel wasn't sure which came first, the rain or the sad faces, as both events were occurring when she showed up. It was hard keeping the kids happy for longer than it took for them to laugh at a joke. Once the joke was told and the laughs had settled down, the truth comes back. Along with the truth there is the fear. The fear that came with living in a small town like this. Where everyone carried some sort of weapon in their back pocket. Street gangs spray painted graffiti and broke windows on buildings. Shootings and drug busts were nothing new. And never ever get close to strangers.

Bonnibel's mother felt the pressure of having to play the role of Mom for five children ranging from twelve to eleven, but never missed an opportunity to say to her daughter that she had only one baby girl.

"Bonnibel! Did you WALK over here?!" She heard her mother exclaim as she walked in the building. The walls were painted a calming shade of blue.

"Yes mother, I did. Last night some dude threw a brick at my car's front windshield."

"Well you better have a good reason for coming then. You know I don't like you walking around in the open like that,"

"Well you shouldn't have to handle twelve children all by yourself,"

"Well I can handle twelve children much better than I could handle a phone call from the police department saying that my only daughter is dead!"

"Mother, I know things have been tough since Daddy passed away, and I know you don't want me to get hurt but I'm not completely defenseless. Also I don't want you strangling a couple kids." Bonnibel said giving her mom a hug.

"You'll understand when you raise children of your own how much I worry for you," Her mom said.

"Hey Bonnibel is here!" a brown haired boy shouted.

"Yes Danny I'm back,"

** This will probably be updated at least once or twice a week, depending on life and stuff. Please Follow, Favorite, and Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

She spent the next few hours entertaining the children, answering questions they had about science and how the world worked. The children would ask questions like "Why do I have blue eyes?", "Why does it only rain it when there are clouds in the sky?", and "Why does chocolate melt in my hand?". Bonnibel would then answer their questions with a copy of Children's First Encyclopedia, reading the pages about the water cycle, heat, and genetics. Which led to more and more questions and more and more page reading.

Bonnibel had always done well in school and at least tried her best to stay out of trouble. Though she had gotten in a couple of skirmishes later in junior high and high school. Which usually would involve her punching some boy in the face after he decided to lay his hands on areas that made her extra uncomfortable. This would land the two in the principal's office. The principal would then call their parents, which usually Bonnibel's dad would respond to. And if the boy had an ounce of sense then the fact that he had messed with a Marine's little girl and that said Marine was ticked and starring down at him, was enough to make him nearly crap his pants.

Now in her early twenties, Bonnibel no longer had that sort of back up. Her father had passed away two years ago at the hospital after an accident at the steel factory he worked at. Though cheesy as it sounded when spoken aloud, she did try to be thankful for everything he had done for her, and for the time she had with him. She had a "special friend of hers" as she put it, that could count her own father's visits on her finger tips. Who also was raised by a family friend after the house fire that took her mother when the girl was only four. Which was later ruled arson. She moved in with her now ex-boyfriend when she turned eighteen. Bonnibel didn't really know why she cut ties with her old caretaker afterwards but, she did know that her friends life with her now ex-boyfriend quickly went downhill once she moved in. He had made fun of her constant use of sunscreen and sunhats and (to quote her friend) "had tried to force the relationship up the tiers at a rate [she] just wasn't comfortable with,". The thing that had completely shattered the crumbling relationship was when he had sold her teddy bear.

Bonnibel didn't exactly like comparing her life to others' to make herself feel better. Sometimes she just say to herself "Hey there are people less fortunate than I, the least I can do is help them out!". She knows that maybe helping out this entire town and turning it to a safe and happy place for everyone is a childish dream, but at the very least it's a great one. And she'll start with her dream job, opening a candy shop called The Candy Kingdom. Which would be ready in about a week of work.

"Bonnibel!"

She had gotten so far carried away in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed the little pink and purple clad girl in front of her, who was holding a piece of paper that was drawn on with pink crayon.

"Yes, Plum?" she said.

"I was thinking about the picture you showed us of the painting thingy you were gonna put up on the wall of your candy shop, and I thought you were missing something," she said. She had this cute little accent but Bonnibel couldn't quite pinpoint where it was from.

"You know I was thinking the same thing but, I didn't know what,". This was only sorta true but Bonnibel wanted Plum to feel good.

"Her name is Princess Bubblegum," Plum said showing her the drawing. The princess had light pink skin and ankle length pink hair. Atop her head was a yellow crown that wrapped around her head as a single loop and had a tall little pillar with a single blue gem at the top. Her dress hit the floor and was long and a little bit darker than her hair. The color of the dress was purple and it had a purple sash. "She rules over the Candy Kingdom and loves her people more than anything. She's an uber smart scientist and that blue gem on her crown is magical and protects her from evil. She wears it all the time because her people would be really sad if something bad were to happen to her. You can have the picture if you want it,"

"Thank you Plum," Bonnibel said accepting the drawing. "I'll see what I can do,". Plum went off and started playing with her friend Beth. Bonnibel wondered if she was Plum's inspiration for Princess Bubblegum.

** Hello! I just wanted to thank the people who followed and favorited. And thank you to those who bothered to read this story. Shoko will appear in the next chapter and most of the ones afterwards. So if you haven't already Follow, Favorite, and Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

The rain never really let up that day. Luckily she had an umbrella in her purse. On her way home, she heard screaming from across the street, not far from her house. At all.

"I said get your hands off of me!" Screamed the female.

"Who do you think you think you are? You should feel lucky I even…" was all the male could scream before he was punched in the face. Which ticked him off and started the physical fighting.

"You two cut it out!" Bonnibel screamed idiotically. The male figure turned his head towards her, which the other female took as an opportunity to kick him in the groin. Bonnibel ran over and asked the girl if she was okay.

"You think I haven't fought a man on the streets before?" she said. Bonnibel looked down and realized that the male was not just any man on the street. This was Ash, Her friend's ex-boyfriend. Now Bonnibel did not consider herself a vengeful girl, but there are some people who really deserve to be sprayed in the face with pepper spray. So that's what she did. With the pepper spray she had in her purse. Because while she thought everyone should have a means of defending themselves, no one but trained and on duty military and police force members should carry weapons that could kill at the flick of a switch.

"I'm not trying to say you haven't, I'm asking if you had been hurt in anyway in this one. I kinda know this man, and you don't want to get involved with him in anyway whatsoever ever again. How about we get out of the rain and talk," Bonnibel said moving the umbrella so the girl wouldn't get even more soaked than she already was.

The girl was surprised by this random lady's expression of goodwill. Even the slightest movement of the umbrella so this stranger that is your neighbor could have less rain falling on their head was unheard of. Spraying the stranger's assaulter with pepper spray was completely unexpected. They always sing in country songs "Everybody dies famous in a small town" but not in this one. No one is laid down on a bed of roses but they die young all the same.

"Why are you doing this for me?" she asked.

"Because that man could have done some pretty bad things that you don't deserve to happen to you. Also you look like you could use a nice meal and some cleaning up. Now grab that cat and let's go in my house before he gets up!" Bonnibel said. A small white cat with some black splotches prowled around the two girls. She picked it up and ran with Bonnibel to the house. Bonnibel locked the door once they were all inside. Bonnibel then folded up her umbrella and dropped it in a yellow bin near the entryway.

"So what's your name?" she asked. The living room was painted a soft pink color. The carpet was white, as well as the couch and recliner. A hand painted purple end table sat next to the couch. Hand sewn throw pillows that were made to look like candy hearts lie throughout the couch and chair. The largest wall -the one the couch was facing- was covered in hand painted purple shelves that looked as though the idea was found on Pinterest. On the shelves were brightly colored candy scented candles. Jars filled with plastic gummy bears and hard candies. An old science fair trophy, a waxed rose, a couple small teddy bears, and various other things. But mostly picture frames Some held drawings that were done by children, others were of Bonnibel and a woman about her age with pale skin and jet black hair. Some older ones of a little red head girl and her mom and dad, one was of a Marine in uniform.

"My name is Shoko," the girl responded.

"Well I'm Bonnibel. And that name sounds kinda Asian. Are you from China or Japan or somewhere?"

"Japan, but I don't remember ever being there," Shoko said studying the picture's on the wall.

"I hope you not too uncomfortable with me asking but, what happened to you're arm?"

"I uhh…did something that really displeased my father when I was eight," she said. "He got really angry with me, took out his machete, grabbed me by my right arm, and…". Bonnibel's eyes widened, the contents of her purse spilled on to the floor.

"What?" Shoko asked, confused at the woman's disbelief.

"Parents should protect there children!"

"Really! Do you have any kids?'

"I help my mom out at the local orphanage. There are twelve children. Elsa, Daniel, Plum, Beth, Chris, Victor, Anna, Jasmine, Wallow, Bee, Merlin, and Edgar. I'm sort of an aunt to all of them. Or at least a friend they can look up to, that can make them feel safe, someone they can trust no matter what.

"Friend…Look up to…safe…trust…no matter what…" Shoko repeated in her mind. For some reason these words felt oddly foreign and familiarly pleasant at the same time. As if she wanted it all along but wasn't sure what it was or if they were the right things. Right and wrong at the same time.

"That sounds great…" she said.

"you're not still living with you're father anymore are you?"

"No I was disowned when I was twelve,"

"How old are you and where are you staying?"

"I'm about sixteen, and around town I guess,"

"So you're homeless," Bonnibel said.

"I guess you could say that,"

"How's your eye?" Bonnibel asked, referring to the one that was bruised and swelling.

"Fine I guess for just being punched,"

"Have you ever been arrested or suspended from school?"

"No to both. My parents home schooled me and technically even though they've threatened to kill me if they ever have to see me again they are still technically my legal guardians," Shoko said.

"Well I think my Mom would be more than willing to do whatever she can do to help you with that. Actually it's her job. But for right now I want you to take a shower, I put the box of clothes I was going to donate to goodwill in the bathroom, there are some nice pajamas, T-shirts and pants in there. While you're doing that I'm going to cook up some spaghetti and then we're going to eat. By the time that's all said and done, it'll be eight o'clock and they'll be playing a documentary on elephants on channel 16 and reruns of _The Simpson's _and various other hilarious animated adult programming on channel 45. Meanwhile at that time I'll be talking to my mom on the phone,"


End file.
